The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is commending a
northern Idaho utility for making good use of unclaimed customer deposits.

Northern Lights, Inc. is a rural electric cooperative based
in Sagle that serves more than 19,000 customers in northern Idaho, western
Montana and northeastern Washington. Though the commission does not regulate
electric cooperatives, Northern Lights wanted to donate $3,500 in unclaimed
customer deposits to a financial assistance program that must be certified by the
commission.

State law requires that utilities with unclaimed customer
deposits to forward the deposits to the state’s unclaimed property fund. However,
a utility may give the unclaimed deposits to a “financial assistance program,”
if the program is certified by the Public Utilities Commission.

Northern Lights chose the Community Action Partnership
Association of Idaho to receive the money. That agency distributes federal
LIHEAP (Low Income Energy Assistance Program) funds to customers in northern
Idaho.

“We commend Northern Lights for taking this action to assist
its customers,” the commission said. “We encourage other public utilities and
electric cooperatives to follow Northern Lights’ lead.”